Newport News Tourism Development Office Fountain Plaza Two 700 Town Center Drive Suite 320 Newport News, VA 23606 757-926-1400 Toll Free 888-493-7386 Fax 757-926-1441 www.newport-news.org

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK JANUARY 15 – 21, 2016

PERFORMING ARTS

ALAN ALDA: THINGS I OVERHEARD WHILE TALKING TO MYSELF Ferguson Center for the Arts January 15; 8 p.m. Actor, writer, science advocate and director are just a few of Alan Alda’s many job titles, which, collectively have led to incredibly intriguing life experiences. Throughout his 40-year career, he’s won seven Emmys, six Golden Globes and three DGA awards for directing. When not garnering accolades for his roles in front of and behind the camera, Alda spent 11 years hosting Scientific American Frontiers on PBS. One of TV Guide’s 50 Greatest Television Stars of All Time, Alda is best known for portraying Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H, which earned him five Emmys for acting, writing and directing, the only actor in history to win in each category for a single series. His first memoir Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, and Other Things I’ve Learned became a New York Times bestseller, as did his second: Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself. Spend an evening with the inimitable Alan Alda, learning, sharing and laughing. 1 Avenue of the Arts, 757-594-8752, www.fergusoncenter.org.

SPECIAL EVENTS AT NEWPORT NEWS ATTRACTIONS

NEWPORT NEWS RESTAURANT WEEK Various Restaurants January 15 through February 6 Celebrate our culinary cuisine in Newport News! Visit those hot spots you've always wanted to try and return to your neighborhood favorites you've loved for years. No matter where you choose to dine, you'll be a part of a community-wide celebration of the great restaurants and talented chefs who serve up fresh, delicious cuisine every day. For information call 757-886- 7777 or visit www.newportnewsrestaurantweek.com.

STORY TIME Virginia Living Museum January 16; 10 a.m. The third Saturday of the month is story time at the Virginia Living Museum. Hear a nature- related story. Included in museum admission. 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard,757-595-1900, www.thevlm.org.

BIRD WALK Newport News Park January 17;7 a.m. The Hampton Roads Bird Club has monitored the bird population of Newport News Park since 1965. Join club volunteers in the Picnic Area I parking lot every first and third Sunday of the month for some early morning birding. Be prepared to car pool to several areas in the park. Beginners are welcome. Binoculars and field guides are recommended. 13560 Jefferson Avenue, 757-886-7912, www.nnparks.com.

KIDS DAY Virginia War Museum January 18; 10 am to 3 pm Children, ages 7-15, will be able to take part in a variety of war games which will run all day in the museum’s theater. Participants will be able to paint & take home miniatures from Phalanx Consortium & the Games Workshop. Children will also be able to interact with select “kid friendly” living historians. 9285 Warwick Boulevard, 757-247-8523, www.warmuseum.org.

ARTFUL GIVING POP-UP SHOP Peninsula Fine Arts Center Continuing through January 17, 2016 Where can you find truly unique holiday gifts, shop local, and support Hampton Roads artists? PFAC’s annual Artful Giving pop-up shop! Featuring original paintings, drawings, pottery, jewelry, glassware, scarves, holiday décor and more! 101 Museum Drive, 757-596-8175, www.pfac-va.org.

VIRGINIA MADE EXHIBITION Peninsula Fine Arts Center Continuing through January 17, 2016 This exhibit features works by 14 artists from throughout Virginia. These artists are creating modern examples of woodworking, glassblowing, quilting, papercutting and pottery. 101 Museum Drive, 757-596-8175, www.pfac-va.org.

LIQUID LIGHT – PHOTOGRAPHY BENEATH THE SEA The Mariners’ Museum Continuing through January 31, 2016 The oceans remain distant and mysterious, even though they occupy nearly three-quarters of our planet’s surface. This fascinating exhibit features nine California photographers who have captured a quality of light that only exists underwater. 100 Museum Drive, 757-596-2222, www.marinersmuseum.org.

BIG BUGS Virginia Living Museum Continuing through April 17 The Virginia Living Museum is really gonna BUG you in 2016 with BIG BUGS. This larger- than-life animatronic exhibit features six super-sized bugs: the Madagascan Sunset Moth, the Bombardier Beetle, Dragonfly, Stag Beetle, Orb-Web Spider and Say’s Firefly. There is also a caterpillar photo-op and a display of live bugs, all designed to showcase a bug’s life and why bugs are important. We need bugs just as much as they need us. They are very important to our ecosystem. The exhibit is created by Billings Productions, the creators of animatronic dinosaur exhibits. Also explore the fascinating world of invertebrates - insects, arachnids, and their kin - through beautiful color photographic banners by famed Harvard scientist/photographer Piotr Naskrecki. Naskrecki’s field research on insects has taken him to six continents, where he strives to promote appreciation and conservation of invertebrates by capturing both their beauty and roles as vital, often critically important members of the Earth’s ecosystems. “Bugs and Friends” live animal shows are presented on the weekend at noon, 1 and 2 p.m. Included with museum admission. Presented by National Exterminating Co., Inc. and sponsored by Langley Federal Credit Union, the Daily Press and WHRO. 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, 757-595-1900, www.thevlm.org.

NOTE: This calendar was compiled based on information submitted to the Newport News Tourism Development Office by the Newport News tourism industry. All events are subject to cancellation and date and time changes. Attraction operating hours, as well as admission and event fees, are subject to change without notice. Please contact event planners directly to confirm information. Additional Newport News events can be found online at www.newport-news.org.